The University Park city council voted at its Sept. 16 meeting to approve a budget of $72,447,126 for fiscal year 2026, a 3.5% increase from fiscal year 2025.
Almost half of the city’s expenditures are devoted to salaries and benefits, with public safety expenses accounting for almost a third of the budget, and public works accounting for 23%.
The council voted to reduce the city’s tax rate to 21.8565 cents per $100 taxable value in fiscal year 2026, just under a 5% decrease from fiscal year 2025.
Certified taxable values in the city have grown by 9.7% year-over-year, and the city anticipates a 4.27% increase in property tax revenues in fiscal year 2026.
The city also approved rate increases, including:
- 4% increases in water and wastewater rates. The city is experiencing a 6.2% increase in water treatment costs, and a 7.8% increase in wastewater treatment charges, but has not passed all of the increase onto customers.
- A 9% increase in sanitation rates
- A 50% increase in stormwater rates to cover future costs. For most customers, the increase will be about $8.33.
Neighborhood Spotlight
Park Cities
Where the Park Cities Stay Connected.
Also during the meeting the University Park city council:
- Recognized driver/engineer Earl Starnes, who retired after 27 years of dedicated service to the University Park Fire Department.
- Referred to the Planning and Zoning Commission a draft zoning ordinance that would prohibit short term rentals, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, in single family and duplex zoning districts.
- Approved a resolution declaring support for the idea that every member city in DART should have an individual member on the DART board of directors. There are currently 13 member cities in DART, and 15 board of director seats. Suburban cities are grouped together based on population, and University Park shares its board seat with Richardson, Highland Park, and Addison. Under the proposed change, board members would be entitled to weighted votes.
Author
